Back to Ohio
by Hillton
Summary: Six years after she moved to LA, Spencer goes back to Ohio, and brings Ash.


7 years after she and her family moved from Ohio, Spencer has graduated from college. She decides, since her fractured family hasn't gone back since they left, that she should go visit. She and Ash are living together as a couple.

**Two months prior to the rest of the story**

"Hey Aunt Dani," Spencer was on the phone with one of her favorite aunts from her dad's side, "Its Spencer," she wouldn't have had to add that seven years ago. She felt like she'd drifted apart from her family—her Ohio roots.

"Spencer, its always wonderful to hear from you."

"Yeah you too. Its been too long."

"It has hasn't it sweetheart? You know you're always welcome here right?"

"You say that on every Christmas and birthday card," Spencer chuckled. She paused, thinking about it, "You know, maybe I should. I've got some money stored away, and vacation coming up from work. Hey, can I bring my friend Ashley?" Spencer was getting jazzed, "Let me look up flights on the internet."

Ash, who was sitting in a lounge chair nearby doing a Sudoku puzzle had started listening, "Flights? What are you talking about?"

"You want to go to Ohio?"

"Ohio?" Ashley repeated.

"Yeah. You know, see where I came from."

"That might be cool."

Spencer smiled, "Okay Dani, I'm back... looks like we can leave LAX at 12:55 am and have a direct flight to Hopkins at 7:36 am on the last Sunday of August. I can only stay until the following Saturday. I gotta work, you know. We can get back through Denver with a 5:20 flight out of Cleveland. We'll get in at 11:10. Hold on a sec... okay... I've booked them."

"Sounds like a plan dear. Whats the flight number?"

"Continental 5555."

"Alright. I look forward to seeing you, and meeting this Ashley."

"Looking forward to seeing you too."

"I should get to making dinner."

"Alright. I'll call you before we leave."

"Fantastic. Love you Spencer."

"Love you too."

"I can't wait to tell the others! Bye hon," she hung up.

Two months later

"Hey Ash, there's something I should tell you about my Dad's family. He has six siblings, and they all live within two hours of each other. Half of them have 3+ kids. Then Dani, my aunt we're staying with, has one. Two of them have none."

"Lots of cousins."

"Yeah. Christmas was pretty cool back there. We all got together at my Grandma's house and had dinner. Each of us got one present there. We drew names at Thanksgiving."

"Neat," Ashley said half-heartedly. She was jealous that she'd never had a Christmas like that.

"Oh, and they all smoke... minus Uncle Dominic. He quit."

"Fun," Ashley joked.

"You get used to it."

"I'm sure," Ashley rolled her eyes.

"And they don't know about us."

"I figured," Ashley replied nonchalantly, "Gonna tell them?"

"I don't know. Maybe. The cousins would be cool. Don't know about the aunts. They're all pretty strict Catholics."

"I think you'll feel more comfortable around them if you do tell them."

"I'll figure it out later."

"You don't have much longer. We leave for the airport in one and a half hours."

"Are you almost packed?" Spencer diverted the subject, with a slight hint of irritation in her voice, "You're right. We don't have much longer."

"You've gotta understand. This is my first time meeting these people. I don't know what I should wear. I want to make a good impression as your friend or as your girlfriend. Whichever you feel I should be on this trip."

Spencer smiled pathetically, "Let me help you pack."

"Okay."

"You know," Spencer made conversation, "I've never been on a plan without my parents."

"You haven't? Oh my god. I can't believe that!"

"Believe it. I'm scared shitless to fly without my Daddy," Spencer laughed at herself, "Thats why I'm glad I'll have you."

"Awe."

"Shut up."

"There we go, was that so hard?" Spencer said as she closed the suitcase.

Clay knocked on the door, "Ready?" he asked as he came in.

"Just barely," Ashley sighed heavily.

"Let me take your bags to the car," They followed him out, "So Ash, you ready to meet the entire Carlin clan?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Its kinda scary at first, being an outsider. There's so many of us. You get used to it, and can track who is who pretty easily."

"Not in a week I won't."

They got to the plane without any trouble. The crew did the safety demonstration, and then they took off.

"Oh my god," Spencer whispered urgently to Ashley, who was already half asleep. Spencer grasped Ashley's hand, "Holy shit," Spencer continued on as the plane gained speed, "We're in the air," she said as soon as the left the ground.

"Duh. Thats what airplanes do. And don't say 'shit'. There are old people and kids around," Ashley rubbed Spencer's hand with her thumb, "We're okay, alright? Go to sleep."


End file.
